bsv-tx-tools

name: bsv-tx-tools description: Build, broadcast, inspect, and dissect BSV transactions using Go CLI tools (carve, broadcast, prettytx, getraw, pick, txstatus, keygen, wifinfo). Use when creating transactions, sending satoshis, parsing raw tx hex, fetching transactions from WhatsOnChain, extracting tx fields for pipelines, checking broadcast status via ARC, generating key pairs, or inspecting WIF keys. Supports mainnet and testnet.

BSV Transaction Tools

Eight Go CLI tools for BSV transaction lifecycle: key generation → tx building → broadcasting → inspection → status tracking.

All tools support stdin piping for Unix-style composition. Install from ~/noscere/repos/bsv-cmd-line-utils:

cd ~/noscere/repos/bsv-cmd-line-utils && go install ./cmd/...

Tools

keygen — Generate BSV key pairs

keygen                        # Single mainnet key pair
keygen -t                     # Testnet key pair
keygen -c 5 -j                # 5 keys, JSON output
keygen -u                     # Uncompressed public key

Flags: -t testnet, -c N count (1-100), -j JSON, -u uncompressed.

wifinfo — Inspect a WIF private key

wifinfo <wif>                 # Show pubkeys, addresses, network
wifinfo -j <wif>              # JSON output
echo <wif> | wifinfo          # From stdin

Detects network (mainnet/testnet) and compression automatically. Shows compressed + uncompressed pubkeys, addresses, and WIFs for both networks.

Flags: -w WIF via flag, -j JSON, --no-color plain output.

carve — Build and sign transactions

carve -w <WIF> -a <address> -s 1000        # Send 1000 sats
carve -w <WIF> -a <address>                 # Send ALL funds (minus fees)
carve -w <WIF> -a <address> -s 1000 -t      # Testnet
carve -w <WIF> -a <address> -s 1000000 -n 10  # Split into 10 equal outputs
carve -w <WIF> -a <address> --debug         # Verbose UTXO selection

Outputs raw tx hex to stdout. Fetches UTXOs from WhatsOnChain, uses largest-first selection, auto-calculates fees (min 100 sats).

Flags: -w WIF (required), -a address (required), -s satoshis (0=send all), -t testnet, -f fee/KB (default 100), -d dust limit (default 1), -n split count, --debug.

broadcast — Broadcast raw transactions via ARC

echo <rawtx> | broadcast              # Broadcast to mainnet
echo <rawtx> | broadcast -t           # Testnet
echo <rawtx> | broadcast -m           # Monitor until final state
echo <rawtx> | broadcast -m -p 10     # Monitor, poll every 10s
broadcast -r <rawtx>                  # From flag

Requires config.yaml with ARC endpoints (in executable dir or cwd):

arc-mainnet:
  url: "https://api.taal.com"
  api_key: "your_key"
  timeout: "30s"
arc-testnet:
  url: "https://arc-test.taal.com"
  api_key: "your_key"
  timeout: "30s"
polling:
  interval: "3s"
  max_retries: 10
  backoff_factor: 1.5

Flags: -r raw hex, -m monitor, -p poll interval (seconds), -t testnet.

Status flow: RECEIVED → STORED → ANNOUNCED_TO_NETWORK → SEEN_ON_NETWORK → MINED

txstatus — Check transaction status via ARC

txstatus <txid>                # Check by argument
txstatus <txid> -t             # Testnet
txstatus <txid> -m             # Monitor until final
echo <txid> | txstatus         # From stdin

Same config.yaml as broadcast. Flags: -i txid via flag, -m monitor, -p poll rate, -t testnet.

getraw — Fetch raw transaction hex from WhatsOnChain

getraw <txid>                  # Mainnet
getraw <txid> -t               # Testnet
echo <txid> | getraw           # From stdin
getraw <txid> | prettytx       # Chain with parser

Flags: -i txid via flag, -t testnet.

prettytx — Parse and display raw transactions

echo <rawtx> | prettytx                # Colorized breakdown
prettytx -r <rawtx>                    # From flag
prettytx --no-color -r <rawtx>         # Plain (for scripting)
getraw <txid> | prettytx               # Chain with fetcher
carve -w <WIF> -a <addr> -s 1000 | prettytx  # Preview before broadcast

Shows: version, inputs (prevtx, vout, script, sequence), outputs (value in sats+BSV, locking script), locktime, txid. Extracts P2PKH addresses from scripts.

Flags: -r raw hex, --no-color.

pick — Extract specific fields from raw transactions

pick <rawtx> --txid                          # Transaction ID
pick <rawtx> --output 0                      # First output (serialized)
pick <rawtx> --output-script 0               # First output's locking script
pick <rawtx> --output-value 0                # First output's value (8-byte LE hex)
pick <rawtx> --input 0 --input 1             # First two inputs
pick <rawtx> --input-prevtxid 0              # First input's source txid
pick <rawtx> --input-script 0                # First input's unlocking script
pick <rawtx> --version --locktime            # Tx-level fields
echo <rawtx> | pick --txid                   # From stdin
getraw <txid> | pick --output-script 0       # Chain with getraw

All selectors repeatable. Outputs one hex string per line. Supports file://path and URL input.

Flags: -o output, --output-script, --output-value, -i input, --input-script, --input-prevtxid, --input-prevout, --input-sequence, -v version, -l locktime, --txid.

Common Workflows

Create, preview, and broadcast

carve -w $WIF -a $DEST -s 5000 | tee >(prettytx) | broadcast -m

Fetch, inspect, and extract

getraw <txid> | prettytx                         # Human-readable view
getraw <txid> | pick --output-script 0           # Extract locking script
getraw <txid> | pick --txid --output-value 0     # Get txid + first output value

Testnet workflow

keygen -t -j                                     # Generate testnet keys
carve -w $TESTNET_WIF -a $TESTNET_ADDR -s 1000 -t | broadcast -t -m

Key inspection

wifinfo $WIF -j | jq '.mainnet.address.compressed'   # Extract mainnet address

Recipes

Split to WIFs

Generate N fresh key pairs, fund each from a source WIF, and display the results. Ask the user for:

1. How many WIFs to generate
2. How many satoshis each should receive
3. Which network (mainnet or testnet) — default testnet
4. Source WIF to fund from

Then execute this workflow:

1. Generate keys: keygen -t -c <N> -j (drop -t for mainnet)
2. For each generated key, carve and verify before broadcasting:

   carve -w <SOURCE_WIF> -a <ADDRESS_N> -s <SATS> -t > /tmp/tx_N.hex
   cat /tmp/tx_N.hex | prettytx --no-color    # verify outputs
   cat /tmp/tx_N.hex | broadcast -t            # broadcast after verification
   

3. Wait ~5s between broadcasts — WoC needs time to see spent UTXOs, otherwise carve picks the same UTXO and causes double-spend rejections
4. Display summary table of all generated keys with WIF, address, pubkey, funding txid, and balance

Important: Always pipe through prettytx first to verify the destination address and amount before broadcasting. Never broadcast blind.

Fee Estimation

Tx size: ~10 bytes base + 148 bytes/input + 34 bytes/output. Fee: max(100, size × feePerKB / 1000). Default 100 sat/KB. Minimum floor: 100 sats.

Notes

• broadcast and txstatus need config.yaml with ARC API keys
• carve and getraw use WhatsOnChain API directly (no auth, ~3 req/sec rate limit)
• All tools accept input from stdin, flags, or positional args
• WIF keys: mainnet prefix 5/K/L, testnet prefix c/9
• Never commit WIF keys to version control